Vacuum cleaner



G. E. LOFGREN oct. 17; 1939,

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Jan INVENTOR.

/vofl ATTOR E Patented Oct.

UNITED sTATEs PATE My invention rel NT OFFICE VACUUM CLEANER Gustar Einar Lofgren,

Riverside, Conn., to Electrolux Corpora poration of Delaware assignor tion, Dover, Del., a cor- Application January 11, 193s, serial No. 184,371

ates to vacuum. cleaners and more particularly to means for regulating the ow 'of air through a cleaning tool connected to the vacuum cleaner.

An object of my invention is to provide an air flow regulator which may be connected between a vacuum cleaner vary the flow of air vAnother object of unitv and a cleaning tool to through the cleaning tool.

my invention is to provide m an air ow regulator With means for readily Varying the flow of air through the cleaning tool and for maintaining regulator.

A further object a selectedposition for the of my invention is to provide a pre-determined minimum A still further object of my invention is to provide an air ow the flow of air out interfering the cleaning tool.

What I consider regulator which will regulate through the cleaning tool withwith" the eficient operation of to be novel and my invention may be better understood by reference to the following specification and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side view with a cleaningtool of the vacuum cleaner unit connected to it embodying my improved air flow regulator;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section of the air now regulator in the closed position;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of tle air owregulator in the closed positi Fig. 441s a viewof the air ilow regulator in the open position;

Fig. 5 is a rear the open position;

Fig. 6 is a detail Fig. 7 is a sectional view'taken along lines 'I-'l of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional 'view taken along the line 8 8 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the uum cleaner unit connected II by a flexible ho ralityof substantially rigid tubular members I3. For varying the flow of air through the cleaning tool II, an air flow regulator Il is interposed between the cleani tool Il.

View of the air flow regulator in ed view;

Ill indicatesia vacto a cleaning tool or without a pludrawing,

se I2 with ng unit I and the cleaning v the use of the maximum air -to tube I by means of a rivet 22.

the sleeve I6 cient amount the openingsll are partially or through the openings I'I an ing to produce turbulence.

may cause the light fabrics to be drawn Within the body of the cleaning tool II. 'I'his may interfere with the cleaning of such light fabrics. Air ow regulator I4 is adaptedto be located between the cleaner unit I0 and the tool II and may be adjusted to permit a portion of the air cleaning tool -for cleaning light fabrics.

The air ow regulator I4 consists of an inner tube I5 and an outer sleeve I6. Tube I5 is provided With a plurality of openings I1 spaced around the circumference of the tube I5 forming a substantially continuous annular orifice interrupted only by portions I8 serving to preserve the` continuity of the tube I5. In the closed position, the sleeve I6 covers the openings I l as shownlin Fig. 2. In this position all of the air passing through the vacuum cleaner unit I0 must enter through thecleaning tool II. This permits ilowl for the cleaning of Aheavy fabrics and removing heavy particles of dirt and dust. When it is desired to change the flow of air through the cleaning tool II, the sleeve I6 is rotated by grasping a knurled linger grip I9. As the sleeve I6 is rotated it is moved downwardly or upwardly depending upon the direction of rotation by means of an inclined slot in sleeve I 6 and a ixed roller 2I secured As shown in Fig. 3, the slot 20 is inclined upwardly from the left to the right, and so as the sleeve I6 is rotated to the left it is moved downwardly. When has been moved downwardly a suiliwholly uncovered permitting air to enter through the openings II and by-pass the cleaning tool II.

Air entering the cleaning tool I I passes through the tube I5 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 2 .and ,4. If the air were permitted to enter from one side only of the tube I 5 unequal pressure condition would 'be created within .the tube I5 tendvAny turbulence in the tube I5 would reduce the flow of air through the cleaning tool II greater than by the amount entering through the openings I8. Such a turbulence may also result in an undesirable noise. By providing the openings I1 substantially continuous orice around the circumference of tube I5, air is admitted equally from all sides. It has been found that if air is permitted to enter the openings I1 from all directions the abrupt change in direction of some of the air entering in a direction opposite to the direction of the flow of air through the tube I5 it will produce a construction at the openings I1 and may also produce turbulence. This would also reduce the'i'low of air through the cleaning tool II by an amount greater than the amount of air entering the openings I1. An outwardly flared ange or hood 23 is formed integrally with sleeve I6 overlapping the openings I1 when the sleeve I6 is in the fully open position indicated in Fig. 4 to insure the entrance of the air through the openings I1 in the same direction as rthe air passing through the tube I5. This allows the air to enter the openings I1 only from the same direction as the flow of air in the tube I5 and directs it inwardly. The direction of the entrance of air in the openings I1 is indicated by arrows in Fig. 4. Heavy particles of dirt, such as sand entering the cleaning tool Il may have an initial momentum in a direction at an angle to the axis of tube I5. Such heavy particles striking the tube I5 at the openings I1 would pass out the openings. The hood 23 would stop the outward movement of the particles of dirt and the air entering the openings I1 would carry these particles of dirt back into the tube I5. In a like manner the hood 23 would prevent any particles of dirt thrown out by centrifugal force due to rotary movement of the air through the tube I5 from passing outinto the room. The flange 23 also serves to prevent the drawing of light fabrics over the openings I1 by the air flow through them.

When the sleeve I6 is in the fully open position the roller 2 I is at the right of the slot 20 of sleeve I6 as indicated in Fig. 5. If it is desired to reduce the ow of air through the cleaning tool I I by an amount less than the maximum amount permitted by the fully open position of Fig. 4, the sleeve I6 may be positioned in an intermediate position. A U-shaped spring 24 is provided with the two arms engaging the tube I5 and the top of the U engaging sleeve I6 for holding the sleeve I5 in an intermediate position between the fully open and the fully closed position. Spring 24 is located within an annular chamber 25 formed in the sleeve I6. The friction produced by the engagement of the spring 24 with the tube I5 and sleeve I6 is sufficient to hold the sleeve I6 in any intermediate position desired. An arrow 26 is provided on the sleeve I6 pointing toward spaced lines 21 marked on tube I5 for indicating the relative position of the sleeve I6 with respect to the tube I5. The line 21 at the extreme right indicates the fully closed position and is marked with the word High at 28. When the sleeve IB is in this position a high flow of air in the form of a through the cleaning tool Il is obtained. Similarly, the line 21 at the left in Fig. 4 is marked with the word Low at 29 to indicate a low flow of air through the cleaning tool.

In the operation of the vacuum cleaner I0 for cleaning rugs and other heavy fabrics it is desirable to use the maximum air flow through the cleaning tool Il that can be obtained. So for cleaning such heavy fabrics it is not necessary to use the air flow regulator I4. However, when the vacuum cleaner unitl I0 is to be used for cleaning both light and heavy fabrics it is convenient to have thev air flow regulator located in position between the vacuum cleaner unit I0 and the cleaning tool l I, so that it is simply necessary to adjust the air flow regulator I4 to obtain the desired air flow for cleaning the particular fabric desired. l

In cleaning heavy fabrics, such as rugs, a different cleaning tool I I is ordinarily used than for cleaning curtains, draperies, and other light fabrics, so when changing the cleaning tool II for cleaning different fabrics, the air flow regulator may be conveniently inserted. After the air flow regulator I4 has been set for cleaning a particular fabric, it is unnecessary to change that setting when continuing to clean the same type of fabric. It is only necessary to change the set ting when a lighter or heavier fabric is to be cleaned.

What I claim is:

l. An air flow regulator for a vacuum cleaner comprising an inner tube having an orifice, a sleeve located on said tube and slidable along the tube to cover and uncover said orifice, and a ange secured to and spaced from said sleeve and overlying said orifice when the sleeve uncovers the orifice whereby any dirt particles escaping through the orifice will impinge against the flange and be carried back into the tube by v air entering said orifice.

2. An air flow regulator for a vacuum cleaner including an inner tube having an orifice, a sleeve located on said tube having an inclined slot and slidable along the tube to cover and uncover said orifice, a pin secured to said tube and engaging in said slot, and a flange secured to and spaced from said sleeve and overlying said orifice when the sleeve uncovers the orifice, whereby any dirt particles escaping through the orice will impinge against the flange and be carried back into the tube by air entering said orice.

3. An air flow regulator for a vacuum cleaner including an inner tube having an orifice, a sleeve located on said tube having an inclined slot and slidable along the tube to cover and uncover said orifice, a roller secured to said tube and engaging in said slot, spring means for frictionally holding said sleeve in a selected position on said tube.- and a flange secured to and spaced from said sleeve and overlying said orifice when the sleeve uncovers the orifice, whereby any dirt particles escaping through the orifice will impinge against the ange and be carried ba'ck into the tube by air entering said orice.

GUs'rAF man IDFGREN. v

CERTIFICATE 'oF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,176,159. Octoberl'?, '1959.

Ib 1s hereb)r4 certified that error 'appears in the ,printed specification of the above numbered patenti requiring correction as follows: Page 2, firt Column, line 15, for' the word "Construction" read conishtric'tion; and thait the lsaid ALetters Pa'tent should be read with this .correotion therein that the Same may conform to the record 'of the case 1n the Patent Office.

Henry Yan rsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissoner of Patents, 

